The SAME but DIFFERENT !

Hi everyone
The weather today has turned from lovely clear blue sky's with a warm breeze to a cloudy and dull canopy ! There does seem to be more blue sky in the distance ..... maybe good things will return.

Im feeling upbeat this morning about my running. Ive struggled all year with recovering from glandular fever and several bouts of shingles. I decided a few months ago to keep going with my running programme (5k training - 3 times a week) in an attempt to get strong and be able to keep shingles from attacking me. In the past, Ive stopped training until I recovered or thought I'd recovered. Running time is a great time for me - just 35 mins or so, early in the morning - often the sun is out and there's a lovely atmosphere around the woods/river. Today, in addition to that, I reached the point where I felt great when my earphones told me to 'slow down and walk for a 5 min cool down'. Im usually desperate for the message to come but today, it came out of the blue - before I expected it !! Wow, Im really getting there. Keep the faith !!!

Back to the day job - The ORDER is also 'getting there'. Will just keep going again today. Im keeping my little 'feelings notes' too. These will record the process via my mental reaction to it. I think it's going to be an interesting review at the end.

Im also very excited to take delivery of the quilling books (2 books ordered a few days ago). The 3D quilling of the poodle is fantastic (see 2 July post). Even though I am concentrating my efforts on The ORDER, I will do a practice bit of a poodle - just can't wait. The other quilling book has examples of the little vegetable quilled bits I talked about a few days ago ie the ones Ive been looking for for ages.



I will get onto these in the next few days and make some new ones.

I also came across a 'face' which I had lost in my studio. Ive had an idea of what to do with it and its logged as another painting 'in waiting' project.



My idea is to take 5 versions with individual backgrounds and hair do's (backgrounds of building, I think ? - this may change). Anyway, the face will stay the same but different ! - I like the title : 'the same but different'. I want to play with the eye colour and try different types of make-up too.

That's it for the moment, I need to get on.

Bye for today.

Do you get it ?

Hi everyone
The weather is not brilliant today (again) ....... but it's warm and maybe it will improve !

I made great progress with The ORDER, yesterday. Im feeling optomistic. The room doesn't look great in the photo (I can tell that's what you will be thinking !!) however, it's almost ordered. I need to sift through every box again and I need to rebuild one of my shelving blocks. Then, its into THE CUPBOARD - this cupboard space is going to be brilliant when it's redesigned. I need to chuck everything from the cupboard and get some suitable shelving built inside the cupboard. It will be great. Im visualising again.....
I took a few photos and have dressed up this one.



I will take some more tomorrow. This stuff (in the pretty photo) will be relocated onto another wall - see the next photo (sorry my thumb has got in the way).



You can see the door of the cupboard - this is the centre of my master plan. I see the cupboard taking all the boxes which came to afternoon tea (see 19 June). Im beginning to start thinking about colour schemes !

Moving on ...........
While organising this room, Ive dreamed up a potential Fimo clay workshop. Im going to adapt a silver/Fimo project from an old jewellery magazine. It looks fantastic in silver, my plan is to use silver coloured clay. Here it is -



As you see, Ive dressed up this photo too. The photo shows a pendant, there is a ring too. Im going to experiment and practice - I will share my results. BUT........ I need to complete The ORDER first.

Ive not mentioned dolls all week so here is my 'doll' offer. I found these lovely little things on Pinterest. I must have a go - quilling again !



Another lovely image from Pinterest (both on my page).



Lovely little houses - simple but they have great 'feel' for me. The brightness of the colours, the simplicity of the houses, the natural wood literally on the beach and the sea in the background. I love all those things in 'their presentation'? The image is one of those things that have another dimension ie tapping into the 'feel/subliminal' thing. I had an amazing discussion with my little 'big' boy about this very thing yesterday. He totally gets it !

On that note - bye for today.

Quilled 3D poodles - so cute !

Hi everyone
A rather dull day today, not very warm either !!

Im still on The ORDER Project - ALL day. Major moving around today. Not much more to report on that, other than to say I need to review again. I have loads more stuff than I wanted to have at this stage. My best tack would have been to completely empty the studio - first ..... and then tackle the sorting. However, I didn't have the space to do this. Still, Im upbeat and I can see a little progress. As usual - all would be very simple, if I was able to just chuck everything ! I see some stuff I'd forgotten about and immediately my creative brain kicks in and Ive got another project (which I can't possibly let go !!). No good- even if its organised, I have finite space !

In addition to The ORDER, Ive made some progress on the craft workshops - see yesterday for background. Ive now got a range of mainly paper based projects for 4 workshops taking place after Sep 2013. Im going to produce a poster, so will post here too. Kits will be available for those who don't live locally or can't make the sessions. I will make up some of the kits and get some photos up here in the next few weeks.

Ive also been trying to find a little project I did several years ago using quilling, I mentioned this yesterday. Ive still not found it and Ive extended my search online - still no joy yet ! However,as a consolation, Ive found a couple of books to buy on the subject. They look amazing - 3D quilling - exciting stuff. A photo of a 3D poodle sold the book to me. I just want to make one. Here she is.



Well, must get on moving things around. Im getting a bit bored with the task. I want it finished and 'lovely'. Im visualising working in the house when it's all done. I WILL get there.

Bye for today

Craft Workshops - Northumberland.

Hi everyone
A rather changeable morning - it's been quite warm and cloudy and breezy - anything could happen ! However, Ive got loads to do so it's doesn't matter but I do like the sun to shine.

This week Im having a different approach to work - for this week Im suspending my structured days, its all out to 'break the back' of The ORDER Project. Lots of new challenges for me at the moment as well as end of term charity work to do.Ive also got another birthday for my little 'big' boy (14years) coming up. I need to plan/produce his card and gift/wrap etc. or it may/will get lost in the schedule.

Im going to concentrate on The ORDER every day and set aside a notepad for ideas and detail of yet another big project ! (Wimbledon also into second week and very exciting - so that will be on a screen throughout). Im beginning to feel stressed out before I start my week ! I do know what Im doing on The ORDER and its down to moving stuff about and Ive got it written down - in theory, it should just happen.

My new project is a programme of new crafting sessions - actual taught class events. Im going to donate funds to a scouting charity so Im working with the scouts on this one. It's going to be about introducing people to crafting techniques via mini projects - probably 2 hour sessions with little kits and a 'pretty afternoon tea' thrown in. We are trying to find a good venue - somewhere inspiring, comfortable and 'donated'. Obviously, fundraising is very important so we don't want to loose lots of profit paying for a venue. We have some initial ideas.

I will design and produce the kits for the sessions (then teach them) and Im hoping to offer them for purchase via my shop (for folk who can't make the sessions). Im also hoping to share some of the content here on the blog. Im not sure exactly how many we will run but I think the initial programme will offer three sessions with three different kits. Because we are looking at introduction type stuff the kits will be accessible for anyone already involved in 'crafty' things. My initial ideas include a Card Workshop, Tags Workshop and a Gift Pocket Workshop. I will use some of my own artwork and try as much as possible to recycle and with these three sessions aim to develop techniques for making lots of the same thing, once the skills are acquired. My thinking here is that these workshops will be great for Christmas planning. I think the workshops will begin early in September. I will publish lots of information well before and will direct potential students to read the blog for details. All my blog readers will benefit too - I will plan in some little competitions for kits etc too.

My planning needs to produce workshop notes and some good pictures of the samples - so will get to work on that today. I also need to develop the samples !!! My ORDER Project may throw up some good ideas as I sift through the rubbish !

PS - There are no photos of any 'order' so difficult to convince everyone that progress is being made, I believe Im getting there !!! I will get a photo for tomorrow - so call back and check early.

I do like to have at least one photo per blog so have decided to share these photos of some quilling. I was looking (still not found) for a card that I made several years ago with some quilled vegetables/little tools - I made a series of birthday cards from the ideas. I had thought it could be a good project for my 'soon to be workshops'. Anyway, having wasted quite a long time looking I decided to check out Pinterest instead and found this



I love this idea - simple but so pretty too ! Still on the quilling theme, I also found a great YouTube video



These chocolates are brilliant and ALL made of paper - the video is in French but its still worth watching (there are some subtitles) , my French is not brilliant but I could understand almost all of it. Take a look. The chocolates could pass for the real thing.

Must get on.

Bye for today.

Recycled Shoe Box aka 'point of sale display item'

Hi everyone
It's Saturday and not a usual thing for me to post - however, having promised to share some photos of the 'box stand' item (under development) and I didn't manage the photos last night. The sale happened earlier and these photos show development and the final thing as well as some photos of the box in transit. It was too busy to show the stand in action but we are going to use it again at another event so will get some photos in a week or so.









Little hooks for displaying small bags.








The last two are not good quality - taken with my very poor phone !!

Back on Monday - bye for now.